1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air hockey game apparatus with which game players compete with each other in hitting a puck into a goal. Particularly, the invention relates to an air hockey game apparatus that has a puck sliding surface having blowholes for floating the puck, an air-blower for transferring air into the blowholes, a puck-reflecting frame provided on the puck sliding surface, and goals provided on the puck sliding surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among air hockey game apparatuses that have been suggested and that are being sold, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-322978 discloses an air hockey game apparatus that allows game players to hit a puck into a goal at the end of the opponent. The puck floats on the baseboard that has a large number of blowholes. Each of the goals is partially or completely blocked by a goal barrier. The goal barrier is held at a position where the goal is blocked when a push button provided on a rear side of the goal barrier is pushed down against a spring force to slide in one direction. When the push button is horizontally slid in the opposite direction, and the pushing force is relieved, the goal is urged by the spring force to open.
As described above, the described configuration allows open sizes of the goals to be changed according to operation of pushing the push buttons, thereby allowing a handicap to be provided corresponding to the skill of the game players. However, changing the open sizes of the goals during the game is difficult. Also, the game players are permitted to operate the push button provided on their individual sides at their own discretion, thereby changing the open sizes of the goals. In this case, dynamic characteristics cannot be provided in the game, therefore, the game is apt be monotonous.